Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau’s message to the officials and his team on Monday night was both unequivocal and instructive. Minutes earlier, the Knicks had lost Game 2 of their Eastern Conference matchup against the Detroit Pistons, 100-94, at Madison Square Garden, evening the best-of-seven series even at 1-1.
The Pistons’ dominance on the glass, out rebounding the Knicks 48-34, as well as Detroit’s advantage from the foul line, where they were plus-12, were clear contributors to the No. 3 seed Knicks relinquishing their home court advantage to the No. 6 seed Pistons. And although the foul disparity was marginal, with the Pistons being whistled for 24 fouls and the Knicks 22, the foul shot contrast was pronounced. The Pistons attempted 34 to the Knicks’ 19, making 28 while the Knicks converted 16. Games 3 and 4 will now shift to Detroit tonight and Sunday, respectively.
“The rebounding was problematic all night, that’s probably the difference in the game,” said an unmistakably displeased Thibodeau.
His ire for the lack of calls he felt the referees failed to award Brunson was also explicit.
“I don’t understand how on one side you talk about direct line drives, the guys get fouled, and it’s not being called. I don’t really give a crap how they call the game, as long as it’s consistent on both sides. So, [Cade] Cunningham’s driving and there’s marginal contact, and he’s getting to the line, and Jalen [Brunson] deserves to be getting to the line. It’s really that simple.”
A stringent review of the numbers refutes Thibodeau’s claim. Brunson, who scored a game-high 37 points, was 9-11 from the line and Cunningham 10-12. However, the statistics don’t tell the entire story. A 30,000-foot view arguably supports the coach’s assertion because there were plays where Brunson was closely guarded and his body collided with Pistons. The basketball principle of vertically and who initiated the contact is debatable.
The physicality with which the series has been played thus far was expected and a reflection of the four times the teams met up during the regular season. The Pistons won three, and have proven that the regular season outcomes were not an anomaly.
Besides the rebounding and foul calls, Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby attempting only a combined 21 shots in Game 2 was an obvious factor in the loss. Towns was only 5-11 and tallied 10 points while Anunoby was 4-10 in registering 10. Brunson 27 shots nearly tripled Towns and Anunoby’s. Afterwards, Brunson took accountability as the point guard responsible for ensuring the offense is more balanced and the ball isn’t over concentrated in his hands.
“It’s on me to make sure I set the table,” Brunson acknowledged. “So I’ll go back and I’ll figure out what I need to do. “We’ll have conversations, and we’ll come back better for Game 3.”